The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-04-07


number of our merchants engaged in
different lines Of business. in order to as
certain their views as to how, in their
opinion, the new interstate law would effect
the trade of Portland, and also as to the eff
feet the new Maine Central tariff would have
upon our business interests.
GILBERT NJ soULE.
Gilbert M. Soule, lumber dealer, thought
that it was hardly time yet to Judge much
about the matter, las the bill has justgone into
operation. At present views it didn't seem as
If its operations would affect them seriously.
Take cedar shingles or lumber from Bangor
and points beyond, the tendency appears to
be TO make treights higher on that class OF
lumber from these points. Formerly Ban
gor had rates to Boston, at least as was gem
orally understood, Of S25 carload to Bos-
ton, while from Portland the same goods
cost SIS. The Maine Central therefore car
ried the lumber 244 miles, shipped by Bangor
parties over that road and the Boston and
Maine for S25, while Portland parties had
to pay $15 carload for ITO miles From St
John TO Boston the same carload was car
Tied for $50, distance of 45O miles from
Boston.
RUFUS DEERING co.
Rufus Deering & Co., lumber, had con-
tracted for, say 100000 feet of lumber, to be
delivered here after the first Of April, and
made contract to 100000 feet Of this lumber
to parties on the Kennebec. Now by the
advance the firm has got to pay So a car
more delivered on the Kennebec, and at
Bangor SIG more in advance OF what it was
before. The result will be that the con
sumers will have to pay this difference. IL
Is reported the Boston and Maine want to
combine with the western. roads to deliver
and a. ah hsF.
Last week several thousand dollars worth Of
lumber was bought of western parties
cheaper than the usual price 10 be delivered
IN Portland, with the understanding that ii
was to be loaded at once, or before April
9TH, when the act went into effect. The
railroads have been doing well the past year
| and 1t doesn't seem right for the roads TO ad-
vance the rates of freight in the State what
| ever they might have to do In regard to in
| terstate freight.
HowEs, HILTON = HARRIS.
Mr.. Howes of Howes, Hilton & Harris,
while he thought it rather early to express a
decided opinion, thought at the present out
look there was no reason for advance of
rates in the State. Instead Of the law being
q benefit for those who have short hauls, ii
lsreally an advance Of about 80 per cent.
from Boston. Sugar from Boston was q
cents, now it is 36 cents.
coUsENs ToMLINsoN.
Mr.. Tomlinson, of the firm Of Cousens &
Tomlinson, from the present indication die
not see how the new act was going to afTec
Portland. Bangor seemed to be in the wOrs
box. For instance, if it cost Bangor 25 centi
to get barrel Of pork from Boston, ant
Portland the same price, by the new Law
Bangor has got to pay proper freight rate
Ii has cost twice as much to send barrel OF
freight FROM Portland to Dexter as from Ban
gor 20 Dexter; now, all that IS done away
with. Big shippers got big rebates on goods
from the West before the law; now, small
shippers have got a show. BY the new law
it looked as If Portland would have much
better show for the business Of the State
than ever before.
WOODBURY. LATHAM.
Mr.. Woodbury., Of Woodbury. & Latham
didn't think the law would hurt Portland
trade. Neither did he think that the Maine
Central would give up its Bangor trade. II
the road found they were likely to lose that
trade they would make rates that would hold
TwITCHELL& & cHAMPLIN
Mr. Champlin, Of Twitchell, Champlin &
Co., thought the traffic of Portland would be
affected as far as regards the coastwise
towns between Portland and Bangor, but
east of there it would not be materially af-
feeted. These eoastwise towns can get bet
ter communication with Boston than with
| Portland, especially in the winter m0nths, as
there is better packet service. Apart from
| these considerations he didn.t think the new
tariff of the Maine Central or the interstate
| law would be on injury. In many other re.
| spects both will be benefit, but as far a.
the western through business is concerned
ne could not answer the question.
J. II. FLETCHER q co.
Mr.. j. II. Fletcher thought Portland's
trade would be apt to be benefited by the
new tariff and by the law. He thought i,
put Bangor just where she belonged If the
railroads pressed us too hard, he thought the
| merchants would put on a steamboat. On
the western through business he couldn't
express an opinion.
Y. A. SMITH co.
L. A. Smith, Of the firm of f. A. Smith
Co., said that in some respects the new
freight tariff would be beneficial to Portland
merchants, enabling them to send goods t
points beyond Bangor upon as adyantageOu:
terms as those obtained by shippers froa
other places. Heretofore it has been about
as cheap to ship goods from Boston TO Ban.
gor as from Boston TO Portland, making the
Bangor merchants just so much nearer theil
customers. The new schedule places Ban
gor and Portland ON an equal footing Mr.
Smith said that the advance in genera
freight rates between Ar0ost0ok county anC
Boston would be to the advantage OF Port
lani merchants The operation of the new
system, in the opinion of MIR. Smith, will bC
great benefit to the coasting trade.
BURGESS, FoBEs co.
Mr.. II. ii. Burgess, Of the firm Of Bur
gess, Fobes & Co., said that he had no
given the matter sufficient attention to ex
press any opinion as to the working Of In
new tariff or its effect upon the trade Of thi
city: He thought, however, that the steam
boat lines running TO billing points upon IN
Maine Central would be benefited by In
change OF rates. As an instance of thi.
Mr.. Burgess said he thought it might prov
cheaper, In shipping goods from Portlan